Create Tomorrow, The WGSN Podcast

Cassandra Napoli, WGSN’s head of consumer forecasting, speaks with Omoyemi Akerele, founder of Lagos Fashion Week and executive director of Style House Files, a Lagos-based agency supporting fashion and textile creatives through talent discovery, market access, skills training and advocacy. Together, they explore the forces shaping Nigeria’s fashion scene, from its young population and growing cultural influence to the craft traditions passed down through generations.

Omoyemi explains why Lagos Fashion Week avoids the word “trend” and champions fashion made to last. She discusses the see-now, buy-now model, designers to watch and the creative exchange between fashion, music and film. The conversation also explores how designers are transforming fast-fashion waste into new work and what Nigeria’s youth boom could mean for fashion’s future.

Discover how Lagos is shaping a more culturally connected and resourceful future for fashion.

How can we make the future something people can experience, not just imagine? In this episode of Create Tomorrow, host Cassandra Napoli, Head of Consumer Forecasting at WGSN, speaks with Sasha Wallinger, Director of Marketing and Communications at the MIT Museum, a Massachusetts-based museum bringing MIT’s research to life through experiences that connect science, technology, art and design.

Sasha explains how the MIT Museum is evolving into a public lab and how its recent MIT Future Fest brought innovation to life through immersive, playful experiences.

Find out why experimentation and unfinished ideas matter, how play can support creativity at any age and why innovation depends less on a single breakthrough than on the people and perspectives that come together along the way

How are changing lifestyles reshaping what we wear and what fashion brands create? Create Tomorrow host Cassandra Napoli is joined by Laura Yiannakou, WGSN Senior Strategist of Womenswear to explore lifestyle dipping – the way people move between interests, communities and aesthetics instead of dressing for one fixed identity.

They unpack what this shift means for fashion, from versatile pieces and outfit repeating to accessories, modular design and clothing that can keep up with everyday life. You’ll hear how brands can balance function with style and why helping a purchase work harder may matter more than offering something new each season.

Tommy Hilfiger joins Create Tomorrow host Cassandra Napoli to reveal what’s genuinely new in fashion, why Gen Z is rewriting the rules and how an iconic brand stays culturally relevant without chasing every trend.

Tommy shares how he approaches future-facing product decisions, what he believes brands should protect and why community-driven retail still matters. Listen to find out more about evolving brand DNA, adaptive design, the gold mine of archives and how future students could merge creativity with the business of fashion.

From avatar outfits to web-integrated shopping tools, digital fashion is transforming our e-commerce experiences.

Cassandra Napoli, head of consumer forecasting at WGSN, invites Daria Shapovalava, founder of DressX to discuss how AI and digital fashion are changing the way people discover, try on, and buy clothes.

Listen to find out what these shifts mean for personal style, creativity, and fashion product design.

Screeny founder and CEO Elizabeth McLead joins host Cassandra Napoli to break down how creator fandom is moving beyond social media and into theatres, branded events and physical community spaces.

They discuss why authenticity, engagement and offline experiences are reshaping the creator economy and how Screeny helps creators, brands and fans connect in ways that drive real value.

The home is evolving into a powerful, behavioural architecture tool. Gemma Riberti, WGSN’s Director, CMF (Colour, Materials & Finishes) and Create Tomorrow host Cassandra Napoli reveal why the dining table is catalysing behaviour, framing moments of connection and shared experience.

Whether you’re designing a new product, curating your next dinner party or building wellness into your living space, Gemma uncovers how the hearth of the home whets our appetite for togetherness, influencing everything from kitchen design to social rituals at home. Find out how tablescaping delivers family moments and solo functionality, serving authenticity in imperfection.

Fashion Founders host Victoria Smith speaks to Create Tomorrow host Cassandra Napoli to explore the evolving media landscape, creator influence, sustainability and future trends in apparel design.

Find out how creator-led businesses are shaping the future of fashion with ground-up networks, how media fragmentation is developing fashion discourse and how to win with functional designs.

Join host Cassandra Napoli and Osmo founder and CEO Alex Wiltschko as they uncover how AI-driven olfactory technology is transforming scent creation, sensory storytelling and personal memory re-creation.

From translating concepts into scents digitally and making it programmable to personalising scents to connect with consumers emotionally, Alex explores how olfactory intelligence can deepen brand resonance and communicate more intimately with scent as the emerging language for culture.

Join host Cassandra Napoli, Head of Consumer Forecasting at WGSN, in conversation with Paula James-Martinez, Founder and Editor-In-Chief of Cuqui Magazine, about what’s next for teen culture. They explore how the decline of teen-focused spaces, social media bans and shifting cultural behaviours are reshaping adolescence and how brands can connect authentically with young people by understanding what they want, giving them a voice and something they can claim.

In this episode of Create Tomorrow, Cassandra Napoli dives into the evolving fashion landscape for incoming fashion creatives with Graduate Fashion Foundation’s Managing Director Nicola Hitchens and Communications & Special Projects Director Annabel Waterhouse-Biggins.

They explore emerging trends, the impact of AI on education and specific skills to focus on to work well with AI. Tune in to understand what the new markers of success are and which values are shaping the next generation of designers and their work ethic.

Join Create Tomorrow host Cassandra Napoli and guest Tony Magana, founder of the Football Boutique, discussing how football shapes culture in America, especially with the 2026 World Cup approaching.

Discover the evolution of football culture, retail strategies, and the impact on fashion and community. Key insights include Tony's journey, the rise of soccer in the U.S., and the role of football aesthetics in fashion. Explore how brands can engage authentically and the future of football culture in America.

Amid misinformation and too many products to choose from, how can you engage customers and futureproof your brand? Join host Cassandra Napoli, WGSN’s Head of Consumer Forecasting, as she delves into skincare strategies with Rita Silva, The Ordinary’s Senior Manager, Scientific Communications and Brand Engagement.

Rita shares how transparency and education are transforming trust in beauty brands, exploring how scientific communication shapes consumer behaviour and trends. They connect these insights to real-world impacts, emphasising the importance of structured narratives to strengthen loyalty.

Find out how space exploration, innovative vehicle design and future mobility shape our world as aerospace designer Anthony Sims shares insights with host Cassandra Napoli. From redefining space interiors to integrating space-inspired aesthetics into everyday products, this episode offers a comprehensive look at the intersection of design, technology and human experience.

Digital Product Passports (DPPs) are changing how brands connect with consumers, driving circularity and revenue simultaneously. Host Cassandra Napoli invites IoDF’s CEO Leanne Young and CCO Cat Taylor who are using regulation to create traceable, smarter products.

They uncover how embedding DPPs into garments expands consumer engagement, revealing design concerns from discreet NFC chips to culturally sensitive placements that streamline marketing without social fatigue. Find out how brands build loyalty and maximise resale and repair.

Most Gen Zs are eager to rent and resell their wardrobes, but what if clothing brands started designing specifically for this shift? Host Cassandra Napoli invites Julia O’Mara and Brian McMahon, co-founders of Pickle, to unfold how peer-to-peer rental transforms fashion.

Julia and Brian share how Pickle turns closets into micro warehouses, creating an on-demand fashion that adapts to rapid trends and shorter lifecycles. Uncover the evolving consumer psyche on why affordability, accessibility and self-expression fuel the rental revolution.

Colour isn't just about aesthetics; it reflects and communicates emotions and events that shape our world. In this episode, host Cassandra Napoli invites WGSN’s Senior CMF Strategist Jennifer Birch to unveil the Colour of the Year for 2028, Radiant Earth.

This episode uncovers how Radiant Earth was meticulously chosen to resonate across industries, from consumer tech to aerospace, supported by WGSN’s colour provider, Coloro. Find out how this colour connects with consumer emotions like hope and resilience.

Host Cassandra Napoli invites WGSN’s Senior Strategist Laura Yiannakou to share insights on adapting fashion for fluctuating bodies and changing expectations. Laura delves into how GLP-1 drugs are reshaping apparel, from flexible sizing to inclusive designs.

From the rise of flexible fits to the integration of shapewear into everyday clothing, this episode explores the body and wardrobes in flux. Find out how brands are innovating with forward-thinking designs to meet the needs of modern consumers while minimising losses.

Join host Cassandra Napoli, Head of Consumer Forecasting at WGSN, as she explores the latest insights from Fashion Month with industry experts. In this episode, Cassandra is joined by Sara Maggioni, Head of Womenswear at WGSN, Kim Cupido, Senior Catwalk Strategist at WGSN, and Ana Correa, Accessories and Footwear Strategist at WGSN. Together, they delve into how collections reflect broader cultural shifts and technological innovations, sharing their visions for the future of fashion with a focus on sustainability, authenticity, and cross-continental creativity.

In this Create Tomorrow episode, host Cassandra Napoli invites Adobe Firefly Enterprise’s Director of Product Design Viggy Madhav to share how GenAI is transforming content creation, design processes and brand trust.

Listen in to explore the evolving role of human creativity, ethical considerations and the future landscape as AI seamlessly integrates into our creative and marketing workflows.